Mapping Slumlords

slumlords_090109.jpg
Bill de Blasio, who is running for Public Advocate, is making tenants’ rights a key aspect of his platform: last Sunday, he joined a City Hall rally against negligent landlords, and he has launched a Slumlord Watch List on his website, where visitors can submit an address of a questionable building to see if it “meets minimum health and safety standards and has open, life threatening violations.” The site doesn’t mention the criteria, but de Blasio said in a press release that unacceptable conditions include “leaking pipes, exposed wires, no fire alarms, [and] broken locks.” It is unclear how long the site will remain active (will he take it down if he is or is not elected?) and what, if anything, de Blasio plans to do with it or how he will use it to pressure landlords or take legal action.

By jscheff |